


The Way of a Man

by Lumeleo



Category: Tennis no Oujisama | Prince of Tennis
Genre: Coming Out, FtM Atobe Keigo, M/M, Running Away, Trans Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-18
Updated: 2019-01-18
Packaged: 2019-10-12 09:03:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17464529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lumeleo/pseuds/Lumeleo
Summary: When Sanada runs into Atobe-san, the rebellious captain of Hyoutei's tennis club, he doesn't expect to become a confidant for her. Er, for him. However, it does turn out to be for the best when Atobe has trouble at home.





	The Way of a Man

Truth be told, Sanada very nearly walked right past the gloomy figure huddled up against a tree. He was not exactly looking for company, and it didn’t look like this person was feeling very social, either. The uniform was familiar enough to register at the back of his mind, but not something he was going to pay attention to right now. The one thing that made him halt was the muffled sound of a sob.

Sanada was ready to keep walking, still. He was not exactly good with emotional things at the best of times, never mind when it came to strangers. Besides, he was sure there were plenty of tears going around now that all but one team were losers of one degree or another. He wasn’t exactly far from tears himself. However, as he glanced at the person in the passing, he found himself freezing.

“Atobe-san?”

Freezing on his steps, he turned slowly, not entirely convinced he’d seen right. He’d seen Atobe earlier during the finals, proud and shining and without any sign of sorrow. Yet here was Atobe, away from all her usual admirers, glaring at him through teary blue eyes.

“What is it?” Atobe hissed, rubbing at her eyes with a clenched fist. “If you’re here to laugh at me, go do it elsewhere.”

“I would never.” He had no right to criticize anyone else for being emotional, not when he was still reeling from their unprecedented defeat. Really, he almost envied Atobe for her ability to show her disappointment, even if it was somewhat out of the public eye.

For some reason, that response did not seem to please Atobe. If anything, the glare got even sharper. “What, I’m expected to cry because I’m a girl?”

“That’s not what I said.” Sanada shook his head. “You know I see you as equal to any other rival of mine.” Atobe Keiko was a very special case, sure, but Sanada wasn’t foolish enough to let that cloud his judgment. Atobe might have been a girl, but that only made her more formidable. Any girl who could claw her way to the head of the Hyoutei tennis club was someone to take very seriously indeed, even if she had no doubt used some of her family influence to even make it possible. The idiots who looked down on her for being female were all inevitably shown the error of their ways.

Atobe hiccuped out another sob, lips twisting into sort of a sad smirk. “If only everyone did.”

“Atobe-san.” Sanada frowned, stepping forward without thinking. He knew Atobe was no doubt perfectly capable of taking care of herself, yet seeing her like this, hugging herself in tears, made him want to protect her from everything and everyone. That would probably not be appreciated, though, so he halted at a respectable distance. “Did someone insult your capabilities?” He had a hard time imagining anyone could do so badly enough to drive the confident captain into such a state, yet there didn’t seem to be any other explanation.

“If that were the case, I could just prove them wrong.” Atobe shook her head, her short curls bopping about her head. Sanada still thought it had been quite crass of Echizen to have actually demanded Atobe’s hair to be shorn, even if she had agreed to the bet and the consequence. It was one thing to treat Atobe as a worthy rival, but targeting a girl’s locks seemed awfully low. “No, it’s just… just someone who doesn’t care what I’m capable of.”

“Oh?” Sanada was sure he would be told off for probing, or at least shut out. After all, no doubt Atobe had plenty of more appropriate people to share her woes with, even if Sanada had actually possessed a modicum of social skills to comfort her with. Which he absolutely did not.

“It’s… my parents.” Atobe sniffled, once again rubbing at her teary eyes. Her usually so elegant appearance rather suffered from the reddened eyes and face, yet somehow she managed to look perfectly brilliant. “According to them, it’s about time I start acting like a proper lady.” Atobe spat out the last words as though they were a curse, her face twisting into a grimace.

“You mean, quit the boys’ tennis team?” As Atobe nodded, Sanada hummed in thought. “No offense, but that might be a good idea. Don’t take me wrong, you are an excellent player, but in high school the physical differences between men and women will only become more obvious.”

“You think I don’t know that?” Atobe hissed. “You think I don’t look in the mirror every single day and wish that wasn’t the case?”

“I’m afraid I don’t understand.” Sanada frowned. “I know you are proud of your abilities, and you should be. That doesn’t mean you should be upset about growing to be a woman. You’re no doubt going to dominate the girls’ tennis circuit, and that’s no less of an accomplishment.”

“That’s not the point!” Atobe’s eyes shone with anger and tears, and for all that Sanada did not like seeing her so upset he had to admit she was beautiful even like this. “I don’t give a damn how I might do in the girls’ circuit. If I can’t be in the boys’ club, I might as well just stop playing!”

“Atobe-san!” Sanada had to admit he was somewhat shocked. Atobe was many things, but he had never thought quitter would be one of those.

“Don’t call me that.” Atobe clenched her fists. “You were just saying you see me as a rival. If you can address Tezuka without a honorific, you can damn well do the same for me.”

“That would not be appropriate.” Sanada folded his arms over his chest, feeling somewhat defensive. He had no idea why, really. Showing basic respect had nothing to do with whether he believed in Atobe’s abilities. “I cannot address a girl with such familiarity.”

“I am not a girl!”

The outburst shocked Sanada, but it seemed to shock Atobe herself even more. Her eyes widening, she first paled, then flushed. Making a sharp turn, she marched away from Sanada with quick steps.

Perhaps it was just a trick of his eyes, but Sanada could have sworn she was trembling.

*

For all that the incident on the day of the finals still bothered Sanada, he was still hesitant to accept Atobe’s invitation. Not because he wasn’t curious to see what she had to say, of course, but because he did not want to cause any inappropriate gossip. He didn’t care about it for his own sake, of course, he never paid much mind to rumors, but even he was aware there was plenty of mean-spirited gossip going around about Atobe. Ranging from innocent if annoying to downright crude, people had plenty to say about the girl who literally played with boys, and Sanada had no desire to add to that.

In the end, he decided to show up, figuring that he should respect Atobe’s own judgment on the matter. If she had asked to meet him, it wasn’t his place to decide it would be bad for her. Even so, he did feel somewhat awkward when he walked into the coffee shop Atobe had indicated as their meeting place. He very rarely socialized outside the context of tennis, and somehow he got the feeling this wasn’t entirely about tennis.

Atobe was easy to spot even in the fairly crowded store. She had an aura about her, one that only set her more apart from others when she was surrounded by people. It took barely a glance around the place for Sanada to spot the golden curls and shiny blue eyes.

All right, perhaps some of it was just him naturally paying attention to Atobe.

Atobe was staring down at her milkshake when Sanada arrived at her table. She looked up as he set down the cup of tea he had gotten for himself, giving him a faint smile that looked rather out of place on her usually so confident features. “So you did decide to come after all.”

“Hn.” Sanada shrugged, now feeling increasingly awkward about his initial apprehension. “I figured you wouldn’t have asked to meet me if it wasn’t important.”

“I suppose you could say that.” Atobe tilted her head to the side, studying him. Her eyes were always sharp, but now they took on an almost unnerving intensity. “Ah. I’m sorry for that little scene.”

“No need to apologize.” Sanada shook his head. “It was an emotional day for all of us.”

“Maybe so.” Atobe stirred her milkshake with her straw, not actually looking at Sanada. “Still, I should not have drawn you into my mess of a life, even if it was in a rather small way.”

“Atobe-sa — Atobe.” He felt rather awkward for correcting himself so, but the way Atobe glanced up at him, clearly appreciative, made it feel less wrong. “I am blunt, rash, and rather clueless about social niceties. Frankly, just about anyone would be a better choice to share your woes. However, if you feel like you can share some of what troubles you with me, I would be honored to listen.”

“You say that now.” Atobe paused, then finally looked up at him. She looked uncertain, which was not a good look on Atobe of all people. “Ah. I can’t expect any particular reaction from you, but… will you promise not to speak about this to anyone?”

“Of course.” That was an easy promise to make. He wasn’t one for spreading gossip anyway, and clearly this was a serious matter for Atobe. Whatever it was.

“I mean it.” Atobe’s eyes turned serious now, the way they did when she was truly focused on a match. “This isn’t just about my reputation or some embarrassing anecdote. If you tell anyone, I could be in serious danger.”

“You have my word.” Sanada did his best to put all his conviction into his voice. “Whatever you tell me, I will not share it with anyone.” Certainly not when Atobe looked like that.

“Right.” Atobe drew a deep breath as though gathering herself, then glanced around. The shop was fairly busy, but they were tucked away in a corner, and none of the people around them were paying any attention to them. “I am not a girl.”

Sanada blinked. “I… am not sure I understand.” Atobe certainly looked like a girl. He knew that perfectly well, yet he couldn’t help but glance at her again. Sure, her clothes weren’t the most feminine imaginable, with a simple shirt and pants, but she did not exactly look like a boy.

Atobe noticed his gaze and made a face. “Yes, I know. Physically, I’m a girl, and that’s how everyone sees me. However, that’s not right. It doesn’t… feel right.”

Sanada nodded slowly. He was not sure if he understood, but at least he now had something to start with. “Is that why you joined the boys’ team?”

“Yes.” Atobe looked almost relieved to have Sanada understand that much at least. “Sure, I’ve had to fight the whole time to stay on the team, but at least on the court, people don’t pay attention to how I look. Not the people who are worth playing against, anyway. The club is my only outlet, the one place where people aren’t trying to push me into being sweet and demure and wearing dresses and skirts.”

“But your parents want you to quit.” Well. He supposed he had a slightly better idea of why Atobe was so upset about that, now. “Have you tried talking to them about this?”

“I couldn’t.” Atobe shook her head. “At the moment, they just think I’m being difficult and rebellious. If I tried to tell them I’m actually a boy, they’d probably think I’m crazy, or trying to get attention.”

“I don’t know your parents, so I cannot tell you what I think is the likely outcome.” Sanada paused, weighing his words. He did not want to mess this up. “However, for what it’s worth, I don’t think you are crazy. And I certainly don’t think you would have any need to make up things just to get more attention.”

Atobe gave him a wry smile. “You would be surprised what people are willing to believe if it means they don’t have to accept something difficult.”

“Then they are fools.” Sanada huffed. “I have faced you on the court. The person I played against was not someone who would make frivolous claims about their very identity.”

“Thank you, I guess.” Atobe sighed. “I just… I don’t know what to do. I can’t explain to them why the club is important to me, and I can’t imagine not having at least that illusion of being myself. Hell, that’s not even truly enough, but it’s all I have at the moment and I don’t want to lose that.” Atobe looked at him, eyes awfully sad. “I can’t lose that.”

“I’m sorry.” What else could he say? “Ah. I know there’s not much I can do to help, but… I can at least listen.”

“That does help, actually.” Atobe gave him a faint smile. “Thank you. For believing me.”

“It’s not my place to doubt your sense of self.” Sanada shrugged. “If it makes you feel any better to know that I consider you a boy, I will confirm that as many times as you need.”

“It does.” Atobe’s smile grew brighter, and really, that was a much better look. A miserable Atobe was just not natural. “I would apologize for getting so emotional on you, but you are so serious I’m pretty sure it balances out.”

“Hn.” It wasn’t like he could argue with that. “Just so you know, you owe me a match.”

“Gladly.” And now, that smirk was the Atobe he knew.

*

“When did you last speak with Atobe?”

Sanada nearly choked on his food at the sudden question. Managing to somehow gulp down the rest of his food without dying, he then gave Renji a glare. It was rather wasted, though, considering Renji’s eyes were on his phone. “I have no idea what you mean.”

“Genichiro.” Renji’s voice turned utterly serious. “We can all go back to playing coy and pretending you aren’t in constant contact with Atobe later. For now, I need a straight answer.”

“…No, I haven’t heard from Atobe in a few days.” Sanada frowned. “What is going on?”

“Sadaharu just messaged me. Apparently nobody has seen Atobe since yesterday afternoon. She had an argument with her parents over the phone, left school, and never arrived home.”

“Damn.” That was… not good. “And they have no clues?” Renji shook his head, making Sanada curse under his breath.

“That doesn’t sound good.” Seiichi’s voice was quiet, his usual smile gone. “I suppose we could ask the others if they have heard anything. You know how gossip spreads in the tennis circles.”

“Right.” Sanada dug up his own phone, now, checking it just in case. No messages, no missed calls, nothing. No sign of Atobe. “I’ll go track down the rest of the team. I’ll let you know if I find out anything.”

“Genichiro?” Seiichi blinked. “You haven’t even finished your lunch.”

“I’m not hungry anymore.” He couldn’t bring himself to eat, not when his stomach was roiling with nausea. Atobe was missing, Atobe had fought with his family and was now missing, and Sanada was fairly sure nobody else knew what would have even upset Atobe in the first place. “I’ll talk to you later.” It was rather unlikely that anyone in Rikkai would know Atobe’s whereabouts if indeed Hyoutei and Seigaku were clueless, but he had to at least try.

As he had expected, nobody could help him with his search. He barely managed to sit through the rest of the classes of the day, not paying much attention. His mind was busy going through various possibilities, each worse than the last. Atobe had a tendency for the dramatic, so he might have done something foolish. Either way, clearly something had gone very wrong, if indeed he hadn’t come home for the night.

For once he was somewhat glad that the third years had started to step down from the club activities, as he couldn’t have made it through afternoon practice on top of the school day. Not that there was much he could do either way, but at least he wasn’t trying to focus on anything else with his mind so preoccupied. Perhaps he could contact Hyoutei and ask if there were any locations he could check for them.

As it happened, the answer quite literally came to him. He saw the figure standing in front of his house from afar, his steps turning into a run as soon as he recognized the Hyoutei tennis uniform. Sanada had no idea why Atobe would be at his house, but he needed to make sure everything was all right.

Getting closer, he realized with a sinking feeling that everything was not, in fact, all right. Atobe was pale and hunched over, looking like he was barely staying on his feet. As Sanada approached, Atobe looked up, giving him a wan smile. He looked absolutely exhausted. “Sanada.”

“Atobe. What are you doing here?” Sanada thought better before Atobe could respond, cutting him off. “Never mind that. You need to get inside, you look exhausted.”

Atobe swayed on his feet, and if Sanada had been worried before, he was even more so now. His hands shot out to grasp Atobe’s shoulders, steadying him. “I’m fine,” Atobe murmured, sounding like he didn’t even believe himself. “Just… tired.”

“I’m sure.” Perhaps this was rude of him, but Sanada had to do something. Atobe didn’t protest as Sanada slid the bag off Atobe’s shoulder, hooking it over his own. For a moment he thought of simply leading Atobe inside, but frankly, he wasn’t sure Atobe could handle that. Atobe didn’t protest when Sanada picked him up into his arms, and that more than anything else told him just how bad things were.

Atobe was awfully light in his arms, looking barely conscious. Had he been outside all night?

“Mother?” Sanada called out as soon as he got the door open. “Mother, I need help!”

“Genichiro? What is — oh!” His mother’s eyes widened as she saw the limp form in his arms. “Goodness. What happened?”

“I don’t know yet.” Sanada had to remind himself not to out Atobe, not without his permission, no matter how much he trusted his mother. “She — she’s a friend. She’s been missing since yesterday and now she was at the gate, I don’t —”

“Breathe, dear.” Good thing she was not easily shaken. “Take her to the bathroom, and I’ll take things from there. I’m sure you can find some towels and warm clothes for her to change into.”

“Right. I can do that.” A warm bath was probably a good idea. “I’ll also let her friends know she’s fine.” Well. To some extent, at least. He wasn’t going to give too many details before he was sure Atobe was safe.

He left Atobe in his mother’s capable care, hurrying off to get clean clothes and towels. It wasn’t until he had left them in a neat pile outside the bathroom door that he got out his phone, typing out a quick message to Renji.

‘Got word from Atobe. She’s safe. Will let you know if I hear more.’ Satisfied that this could work as a compromise between protecting Atobe and easing everyone’s fears, he sent the message, then shoved the phone into his pocket. Since he was just standing around, he could just as well make sure the guest room was all set. Atobe would probably appreciate a place to rest.

Atobe did look marginally better after a bath, huddled up in the guest room bed in Sanada’s old clothes. Sanada’s mother had bustled off to make dinner after telling him in no uncertain terms that he was to make sure Atobe was comfortable. It had been an easy promise to make. At the moment, Sanada would have done very nearly anything to make Atobe feel better.

“…Sorry.” Atobe’s voice was quiet, mumbled into the cup of hot tea in his hands. “I just… didn’t know where else to go. The only other person who knows is Kabaji, and they’d have found me there immediately.”

“Don’t apologize.” Sanada shook his head. “I’d much rather have you here than missing still. Though I do wonder how you found your way here.”

“I, ah. I ran into Yamabuki’s little data player last night. He didn’t know your address, but managed to at least tell me the right neighbourhood.” Atobe took a sip of his tea. “I didn’t come here right away, though, since I didn’t want to bother you.”

“Last night?” Sanada frowned. “Please don’t tell me you were outside all night just because you didn’t want to be a bother.”

“Ah. Not all night.” Which wasn’t exactly reassuring. “I found a few coffee shops that were open late, and stayed in each as long as I could without causing too much suspicion.”

“Which means you didn’t get any sleep.” Which wasn’t exactly a surprise, but he still wasn’t happy about that confirmation. “Can you tell me what happened?”

Atobe grimaced. “Apparently, my parents got tired of waiting for me to come to my senses, so to speak. My mother, she… she called me yesterday.” Atobe’s eyes were fixed on his tea. “She informed me she’d gone through my wardrobe and thrown out all my pants. After all, I own plenty of dresses and skirts she’s bought for me, so there’s no possible reason why I’d need anything else.”

“You must be joking.” However, Atobe’s expression made it clear he was perfectly serious. “So… you decided to run away?”

“Not my smartest idea ever, I’ll admit.” Atobe’s lips twitched a little, though there was little humor in it. “I just… I couldn’t bear going home, when I knew I’d have to confront her. I didn’t exactly have any plans for what I should do instead, as long as I wasn’t going back.” Atobe gave a broken chuckle. “You probably think I’m an idiot.”

“No.” That answer, at least, was easy to come by. “I can’t say I would be much more reasonable if my family suddenly decided I should wear nothing but skirts. And yes, I know that is not how your parents see it,” he added, cutting off Atobe’s inevitable protest. “From what you have told me, though, that’s how you see the situation, so it makes sense your reaction would be similar to mine.”

“I can’t do this.” Atobe’s voice was barely audible. “I thought I could bear it if I needed to, that I could play along until I’m old enough to leave. But when my mother called, I knew I couldn’t do it. The thought of dressing like a girl all the time, without any alternative… I can’t bear it.”

“Well. I suppose it’s time you think about your options.” Sanada nodded slowly. “I told Renji I had heard from you, but not that I know where you are.” Though Renji probably had already figured that out, but at least he had some plausible deniability. “So, for now, your friends and family know you are safe, and it will probably be a little while before they come asking questions. Take the time to rest and gather your thoughts.”

“Won’t your parents have a problem with that?” Atobe glanced to the door as though expecting them to walk in any moment. “I mean, you did literally carry me in from the cold. They are going to ask questions.”

“They are reasonable people. Since they know I have notified your family, I’m sure they will let you stay here until you feel better.” Sanada paused. “Though knowing your team, they are going to be banging down my door tomorrow at latest.”

“Only if it takes them that long to find out who sent the message.” Atobe’s lips twitched into a tiny smirk. “I’m assuming I should not apologize for the trouble?”

“Just let me know what to tell them.” If he couldn’t handle some unruly tennis players, he wasn’t worthy of his position. “Or at least the names of anyone you’d actually want to see.”

Atobe still looked exhausted, but the smirk was somewhat reassuring.

*

“Atobe.” Sanada frowned at the way Atobe was turning his phone over and over in his hands. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

“I have to, don’t I?” Atobe gave him a humorless smile. “If I wait any longer, they’re going to involve the police. I’ve caused you enough trouble as it is.”

“Nonsense, my dear.” Sanada’s mother huffed from the other side of the table. “We are always happy to help Genichiro’s friends. But I do agree you should call your family to let them know you are all right.”

“Right.” Atobe finally set his phone on the table. With a few quick taps, he dialed a call and put it on speaker.

Whatever Sanada had expected to hear as the call was picked up, a quick stream of English wasn’t it. Atobe made a face and sighed.

“Mother, please,” he cut in, thankfully in Japanese. Sanada did well enough in his English classes, but he had no chance of deciphering that particular flood. “We have audience.”

“And why should I care, after all the worry you’ve caused us?” The same voice, now in slightly accented Japanese. So this was Atobe’s mother. “You vanished on us! I had to hear from your classmates that you weren’t dead!”

“My teammates, mother.” A minor distinction, but clearly important to Atobe. Not that Sanada blamed him. “And why should I have been in touch? You clearly didn’t give a damn about what I feel.”

“Keiko Atobe!” Her voice rose even higher. “No daughter of mine is going to use that sort of language.”

“I am not your daughter!” In the stunned silence that followed, Atobe drew a deep breath. “I am your son.”

For a moment, everyone was quiet. Sanada glanced at his mother, unsure of her reaction, but found her perfectly calm. Finally, the silence was broken by Atobe’s mother. “…Pardon?”

“I am a boy, mother. I have always been a boy.” Atobe clutched the edge of the table with a tight grip. “You’ve just refused to see that, because it means I don’t fit in your perfect little reality.”

“Keiko.” She still sounded somewhat stunned, though she had apparently gathered herself somewhat. As expected of an Atobe. “You should know it’s not a problem for us if you are a lesbian. You don’t have to go to such lengths to justify it.”

“That’s not what I’m doing. And I’m not a lesbian.” Atobe paused, and Sanada could have sworn he glanced at Sanada. “I am gay, but that’s because I like men, not women.” Well. Sanada was not sure what that warm feeling at the pit of his stomach was, but it wasn’t entirely unpleasant.

“You are not making any sense, Keiko. Stop being difficult.”

“I’m not the one being difficult.” Atobe pinched the bridge of his nose. “I am not a girl, and I refuse to live as one just to please you. Either you accept that, or I will move to back to England to live with my grandmother. At least she wants my happiness above all else.”

Atobe’s mother took on a sharper tone. “You can’t do that without our permission. You are still a minor.”

“Perhaps. But if grandmother decides to pursue custody on grounds of you refusing to accept my identity, your reputation will be in ruins no matter what the final result is.”

“Keiko.” She sounded almost insulted, now. “Do you really think our reputation is more important to us than our child?”

“Considering how desperate you seem to be to force me to be something I’m not? I can’t see how it could be any other way.” Atobe’s hands were trembling, though he quickly folded his arms to hide it. “You can either accept me or not, but I’m not coming back before we settle this.”

“And where are you going to be in the meantime? Where have you been until now, anyway?”

“Atobe-san? If I might interrupt.” Sanada’s mother leaned forward with her best mild smile. “My name is Sanada Sumiko, and my son is friends with your child.” The choice of wording did not escape Sanada. “Keiko-kun has been staying as our guest these last couple of days, and we are happy to have him here until everything gets cleared up. Of course, my husband and I would be more than happy to meet you in person to assure you that we are responsible enough to look after Keiko-kun.”

“And why should my daughter stay with you rather than coming home, anyway?”

Sanada’s mother smiled some more, her eyes turning to steel. “Because, Atobe-san, I saw the state Keiko-kun was in when he got here. I can’t in good conscience send him somewhere I can’t trust him to be safe.”

The offense was practically dripping over the phone line. “Are you suggesting we abuse our child?”

“I’m sure you don’t think so, but judging by Keiko-kun’s condition, he doesn’t agree.” Sanada’s mother tutted. “Now, I’m sure you will want to discuss all this with your husband. I’ll be holding onto the phone for Keiko-kun, so do call me back once you are ready to discuss this like calm adults.” Having apparently said her piece, she reached over to cut the call and picked up the phone. “Ah. I do apologize for taking things somewhat into my own hands, but it seemed like you had already made your point.”

“No, I… thank you.” Atobe bit his lip. “You really didn’t have to do that.”

Sanada’s mother tutted. “Oh, hush. I’ll admit I don’t really understand all this, but I saw how upset you were by this mess, and I’m not going to tell you that isn’t real.” She chuckled. “Now, go off, both of you. If I have learned anything from Genichiro, it’s that a good tennis match will probably help you calm down. I’ll field any calls that come in the meantime.”

“Right. Thanks.” Atobe scrambled out of his seat, heading outside. Sanada followed him, keeping an eye on any subtle signs of distress. Atobe was very talented at hiding his emotions when needed, of course, but over the last few days and their occasional meetings before that had taught Sanada what to look for. The trembling hands were still there, and though his lips were twisting into a smirk, his eyes were shadowed as he glanced at Sanada. “Ah. Sorry you had to hear all that.”

“I agreed to be there. Thank you for trusting me.” He paused. “So… you’re gay.” No point in pretending he hadn’t heard that, after all.

“Yes.” Atobe’s eyes turned suspicious. “That a problem?”

“Would be rather hypocritical of me.” Sanada shrugged, trying to look more nonchalant than he truly felt. He hadn’t actually told this to anyone outside his family and the Rikkai regulars, but all things considered, it only felt fair. “It’s not like I’m in any rush to find a girlfriend, either.”

Atobe paused, then smirked and shrugged. “Well. I can’t say I’m surprised to hear that.”

Sanada had nothing to say to that.

*

“Sanada-kun?”

Sanada blinked, somewhat surprised to be addressed. He’d rather resigned himself to be ignored for most of the party, not that he minded. For all that Atobe usually liked to make things big and flashy, this particular party was rather low key for him. Sanada was the only one invited who wasn’t a Hyoutei regular, and he was rather happy to let Atobe’s team surround him right now, considering he’d been very much taking up all of Atobe’s time lately.

Turning around, he found himself looking at what was basically an older version of Atobe, with dark hair and eyes. His father, then. “Ah. Atobe-san?”

“I’ll take that as a yes. Not that it was a difficult equation, really, considering you are the only one I didn’t recognize.” Atobe-san smiled. “I wanted to personally thank you and your family for keeping Keiko safe.”

“Hn.” Sanada shrugged. “I’m just glad things turned out more or less okay.” At least he was going to assume that was the case, considering they were currently celebrating Atobe starting his social transitioning.

“Indeed.” Atobe-san glanced towards the group of Hyoutei players surrounding Atobe. “I can’t say we entirely understand this yet. However, Keiko seems very firm on his position, and his therapist agrees that this is the best route to take. If letting him live as our son rather than our daughter is what he needs to be happy, we will push away our preconceptions.”

“Thank you for reconsidering your position.” Sanada gave Atobe-san a terse nod. “I do not believe he could be happy living as a girl. Atobe is one of the strongest people I know, but even so, I could see he was terrified of the idea of growing up as a woman.”

“Hm. I hope we can grow to know him better now that we do not have this secret between us anymore.” Atobe-san looked at him with sharp eyes that very much reminded Sanada of his son. “You truly see him as a boy, then.”

“I do.” He had no problem saying that and meaning it. “I was confused at first, but the more I think about it, the more it makes sense. In any case, it isn’t my place to decide that. If he tells me he is male, I will take his word for that.”

“Good.” Atobe-san nodded. “I may be grateful for your help, but that does not mean I would allow you to break his heart.”

Sanada blinked, not certain he had heard right. “Excuse me?”

“Oh, please. I saw the way you were watching my son earlier.” Atobe-san chuckled. “I also have reason to believe he rather likes you as well. And, for the record, neither I nor my wife have any problem with that.”

“Ah.” Sanada was fairly sure he was blushing, now. “That’s not — I wouldn’t —” Except he couldn’t deny it, not quite. Not when he only needed to glance over and see Atobe truly in his element, bright and brilliant at the center of attention, and so very beautiful.

When he could tear his eyes away, he found Atobe-san walking away. As he glanced back at Atobe, he found blue eyes looking back. Even with all his friends around him, Atobe was smiling at Sanada.

Sanada drew a deep breath and squared his shoulders. He liked to think he was a man, proud and brave and honorable in all his actions.

What could be more brave or honorable than asking out the object of his admiration in front of witnesses, after receiving the approval of his family?


End file.
